Marriage
by Lirenel
Summary: SPOILERS for Sunday. Four drabbles on Ronon, Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla's views on love and marriage, taken from what we learned in 'Sunday'.
1. Ronon

_Disclaimer:_ _I do not own Stargate Atlantis or the characters/places found therein. _

_Author's note: This is another fic grown from 'Sunday'. In that episode, there is a lot of talk about love and marriage, well, compared to other episodes. Each of these short chapters are inspired by different conversations in 'Sunday'._

* * *

**Marriage: Ronon**

_Did you leave somebody behind on Sateda? Wife?  
__Close enough._

The conversation replayed in Ronon's head as he ran through the city of Atlantis. How had they gotten on that subject anyway? It was hard to remember much about that Sunday, not after the horror and grief of losing Carson Beckett. Yet that one snippet of conversation remained with the Satedan, added to the haunted memories of his old life. His memories of Melena.

They had known each other their entire lives. It was always 'Ronon and Melena', 'Melena and Ronon', the pair terrorizing their neighborhood with their games. As they grew older their friendship slowly turned into blushing affection and then deep love. It had only made sense that they would eventually be _halringis. _The _halringi_ was similar to traditional marriage, _hewringi,_ but connected husband and wife even closer. The couple, the _halrerd, _would spend three days and three nights after the marriage ceremony secluded in a tent outside the city, while the sacred incense burned and they consumed only water sprinkled with _ferle _seeds. During that time they would share themselves completely with the other, body and soul. On the fourth day the _halrerd_ would emerge from the tent, bonded together through both life and death.

Melena's death had broken Ronon's soul. The emptiness he felt was filled only by the primal need to survive and the rage he felt for the Wraith who had destroyed his life. When saved by the Earthlings, Ronon had managed to drag himself from the emptiness and try to live for this new family who had taken him into their home. He doubted he would ever get over the loss of Melena, but Ronon would fight for his life and the lives of his family until the day he was reunited with his beloved in the Land Beyond Death.

* * *

_The existence of different kinds of marriages comes from Ancient Rome where there were a variety of ways of getting married, some more binding than others._


	2. John

**Marriage: John**

_When are you getting married?  
__Already done that. Not very good at it._

Her name was Bridget Sheppard née Malone. She had hair the color of mahogany and blue eyes that always sparkled with laughter. John Sheppard had known the moment he laid eyes on the daughter of his high school English teacher that he was in love. With relentless badgering he had finally convinced this beautiful, cheerful president of the chess club to go with him to their senior prom.

It had been a night of magic and from that moment on the chess club and the math club started meeting at the same time in the evenings so that neither Bridget nor John would have to wait for the other before heading on their dates. The day after graduation, John proposed with his late mother's engagement ring, a proposal Bridget gleefully accepted. However, they both knew that the wedding would have to wait until John graduated from the Air Force Academy.

To the surprise of both friends and family, they couple managed to stay together as John went through the Academy and Bridget attended the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Following tradition, the day after John graduated, he and Bridget were married in a small ceremony. The image of Bridget walking down the isle on her father's arm forever remained imprinted in John's mind and he counted the day they became husband and wife as the greatest day of his life.

Bridget and John happily began their life together and, despite the usual disagreements and troubles couples go through, managed life together well for several years. As life continued, however, Bridget began finding it harder to deal with John's frequent absences due to his job. She started resenting moving from base to base, and began resenting John himself for her unhappiness.

John tried his hardest to try and make Bridget happy, but she ignored all these attempts and let her resentment fester in her heart. One day John came home early, bringing flowers for Bridget as an anniversary present. Instead of finding his wife, he found a hastily scribbled note reading: _John- I'm done with this. Steve Mikhaelson is taking me to Paris. I'll be back to sign the divorce papers. –Bridget._

The note fell to the floor alongside the forgotten roses as John slowly walked to the refrigerator for a beer.

A few years later, after the divorce, after Afghanistan, John Sheppard sat on a hill in Colorado Springs flipping a coin that would change his life forever. And perhaps, just perhaps, he would find someone who would see the man Bridget Malone never appreciated.

* * *

_This was probably my least favorite chapter, felt it was a bit rushed at the end. Oh well, hope you liked it anyway._


	3. Rodney

**Marriage: Rodney**

_It's not that I wouldn't be interested in-in-in getting married to someone, I mean someone_ like_ you, I mean someone _just_ like you – _you_ even, maybe one day – I just, uh…  
_

McKay tentatively walked into the botany lab, wincing as he caught sight of Katie Brown watering those baby ferns from M4L-279. "Katie?"

The red-head looked sadly up from her work. "Rodney. How are you doing?"

Rodney shrugged. "OK. I mean, it's different being here, without…"

Katie stood and walked over to the scientist, placing her hand tenderly on his shoulder. "I know. I'm so sorry about Carson. I've been meaning to tell you that, but…"

"I've been ignoring you again." Katie nodded, and Rodney sighed at the question in her eyes. "Katie, I, er, what I mean to say is…" _Come on McKay, get it over with! _"Katie, I'm sorry. This isn't going to work out."

The botanist bit her lip before answering. "It's because of what happened to Carson, isn't it?"

Rodney looked down at his feet. "I…well, it's just that everytime – I just can't help but think that if I hadn't had lunch with you, he would still be alive."

Katie's blue eyes started brimming with tears. "I guess…I guess you blame me…"

She was immediately interrupted by Rodney's forceful protest. "No! No, no, no, I didn't mean…" He sighed. "I don't blame you for any of this. I blame myself for not just going fishing with him, and I don't think I'll ever forget what happened, and…and that isn't fair to you."

"I understand." Amazingly, Rodney realized that Katie completely understood where he was coming from. The thought struck him that maybe she felt the same way, reminded by the presence of the other of what could have been. Katie gave him a soft smile and gently pressed a kiss on his cheek. "We can still be friends?"

"Of course. Yes. I'd like that." With that, Rodney turned and practically fled from the room.

Katie turned back to the ferns who stood silent witness. "I hope someday you find someone else who knows you like I do, Rodney. And she will be one lucky woman."

* * *


	4. Teyla

**Marriage: Teyla**

_I could _never_ say that to him!  
__Why not? You like him, don't you?_

"I have thought much as I have been resting from my wound. I remember my last conversation with Olivia Hewston, how she urged me to do something that I was not ready to do. I told her that it was not the way of my people, but that was only an excuse. In truth, I was afraid that it would ruin a friendship that has become so important to me.

Now, though, I find that I cannot let that fear drive me into silence. Olivia's death, Carson's death, has shown me that only a moment can tear us apart. As frightened as I am to speak to you, I must for it could so easily have been you or I who was killed that day, and in this dangerous universe death could take us still.

You have always shown me friendship since we met, in your own way. At first I did not quite understand your foreign ways, but since then I have come to consider you one of my greatest friends. And the friendship I feel for you has slowly grown into something more. I…I care for you, deeply. No, that is not the right word. I am in love with you. I know that you have feelings for another, that you have never given a thought to me except in friendship, but I could not let another day pass without telling you this. I pray that someday your heart may come to love me as I do you."

As her mind finished reciting the words she intends to say, Teyla takes a deep breath. She knocks politely on his door which quickly opens to reveal the friend she loves. "Teyla, hi! What's up?"

"May I come in?"

With questioning eyes he lets her into his room, the door shutting behind them. "Are you alright?"

Teyla silently prayed to the Ancestors for strength before speaking. "I am sorry for this disruption, Rodney, but I need to speak with you."

* * *

_Alright, I admit, I'm a McKeyla fan. If you don't like that ship, please feel free to pretend she said a different name. I hope you liked these drabbles!_


End file.
